A-frame style folding trailers are well known in the recreational vehicle field. Such trailers typically have two flat and relatively rigid roof sections, one hinged to the rear of the generally rectangular-shaped trailer body and the other hinged to the front of such body. The two roof sections are movable about their hinge axes between lowered, or closed, positions in which the roof sections overlap one another and are in generally horizontal positions covering the top access opening of the trailer body, and raised, or open, positions in which the two roof sections define a generally A-frame roof with the free ends of such sections meeting at the apex of the A-frame roof to provide access to the interior of the trailer body through its open top. Typically, in their folded positions, the front roof section overlaps the rear roof section.
In the past, the raising of the front and rear roof sections has been accomplished manually and with the assistance of four-torsion springs located one at each of the four corners of the rectangular trailer body. Such roof sections were raised manually by a person pushing up on the underlying rear roof section so as to raise both roof sections together, with some assistance from the torsion springs. The roof sections were also lowered manually by a person pulling downward on the roof sections against the force of the torsion springs. Considerable physical exertion is required for a person to raise and lower the roof sections of such trailers. Moreover, such person must be tall enough and strong enough to raise and lower the roof sections. As a result, the size, weight, and height of the roof sections of known A-frame style trailers are limited, and, even then, not everyone had the physical strength or height to use them.